


SIDE EFFECTS (2.06)

by orphan_account



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Apocalypse, Curses, Demons, End of the World, Friendship, Prophecies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 12:49:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19334848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: - in which Hyunjin doesn't think he can fight his curse any longer.





	SIDE EFFECTS (2.06)

**Author's Note:**

> english isnt my first language and i never learned how to proofread, but i hope u can enjoy this short fic i wrote nonetheless. i wrote it in 5hrs or so, so i deeply apologise if anything feels rushed :(

_Not again. Please, not again._

Hyunjin was feeling dizzy. He was barely breathing, trying to walk made him feel worse and his head was about to explode.

_I just need to lie down for a bit._

His bed was unfortunately not an option right now. He could hardly stand, let alone climb the stairs.

So Hyunjin lied on the cold floor and close his eyes, for a second. Two. More.

_I don’t wanna get up ever again._

The headache slowly faded away. Hyunjin’s thoughts became clear again. He sat up.

_Damn, this is getting more and more frequent._

He quietly got up and went to the kitchen, reached for a glass.

 _Always worse during summer, right?_ he thought as he slowly drank water.

He sighed. _What if I can’t fight it anymore? Maybe I should give up, maybe I should let Darkness take over._

_I need to make a call._

Hyunjin looked for his phone and slowly dialed a number, hesitant.

“Mom? Mom, I’m sorry to bother you. I wanted to keep it for myself, but it started again. And I’m scared, mom. This isn’t what I want. Please, call me back. Just once. I need you.” He put his phone down on the table and went outside.

The sun was shining bright, almost blinding.

But the fresh air was nice and Hyunjin just let himself absorb all the good energy. _I can still made today a good day. I won’t let a damn headache stop me._

Hyunjin had lived isolated from the world for a while now. His cabin was miles away from the city and he had barely seen a human in years. He wasn’t sure if he missed the interactions, but he knew it was best for everyone. He’d see hikers from time to time. He always greeted them with a smile, offered them water and food when they seemed like they needed it and let them use his loo.

Hyunjin sighed. _My mom left me there when I was, what, thirteen? I am 19 now. How is this whole thing not over? Isn’t it what it said? Isn’t it how it was supposed to go? “At thirteen, the curse will strike. Fight it for five years and you’ll be free. Or let yourself loose, and we’ll free you from this misery. Only demons will control you and slowly instore chaos.” Why do I keep feeling worse, when it should be over? What did I miss?_

Someone coughed. Again. And once more. Hyunjin finally broke out of his thoughts.

“H-hello?”, the young man said.

“Hi!”, the stranger smiled. “I was looking for you.”

\--

Hyunjin blinked. “You what now? I’m not even sure anyone even remembers I exist.”

“You have questions I can answer. And I think, I… hm... the world needs your help.” He paused, looking for some reactions in the young boy’s face. “My name is Jisung, by the way” he added, offering his hand.

Hyunjin stared at the hand and eventually decided to shake it. “Do I need to introduce myself too, then?”

“Nope, Hyunjin, I’m good. You gonna let me in?”

The young boy stuttered a yes and opened the door, still confused.

\--

They were sitting at the table, both drinking the tea Hyunjin had made.

“So. Hm.” Jisung started. “I think it happened, like, last year. 20 March 2018. My older brother’s 18th birthday. And yours. And Mary’s, London, England. And Aryan’s, Jaipur, India. On that day, they all strangely gave up. I don’t know what made them do it, on the last day of their curse. But they did, they let the curse happen. And everyone expected you to do so, too. But you didn’t. What I know is that those demons are powerless if not together. They’re powerless without you. Which is a good thing. That whole prophecy, it’s…”

“Hold up” Hyunjin interrupted. “How do you know all that, what is happening? What’s the bigger picture?”

Jisung put down his cup of tea. “Were you never curious, all these years?”

“I. I just know what my mother told me when she abandoned me here, to be honest. That I was too dangerous, and that she didn’t want me to be near anyone when the whole thing happened. If it did. Whatever it was. She said that I’d probably be too weak, cos I resemble my dad, but that she couldn’t bring herself to kill me for the safety of mankind, cos I remained her son.”

Jisung softly smiled, reminiscing. “My mom didn’t believe in the whole curse thing at all. We just lived as if nothing happened. She was partly right to be honest. Half of it is bullshit. And I think you’ve noticed it. They’ll never give up. That five-year deadline never mattered. But still, they got everyone before its end. Right before. But you, you… Somehow, they couldn’t. It’s been almost a year since I lost my brother. They just took over his body and left. So, I spent six months doing nothing else than research on the matter, and six other months looking. For you.”

He paused.

“I need my brother back.”

And broke into tears.

“I don’t even know if he can be OK. After all this.”

Hyunjin slowly took the younger’s hand.

“What happens once they take me? Why me?”

“No one knows for sure. Only a few people know about this, or actually believe in it. There are speculations about doomsday. Other think Demons need some “human energy to power up Hell”, whatever that means. Also, there’s four of you. So some people think Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”

“Huh, OK. And what am I supposed to do?”

“I tried to make sense of different prophecies. “He who fights, can put an end to it.” The thing is… I’m not sure what they meant by “put an end” cos like…”

“Do I end the curse or the world, right?”

“Right.”

Hyunjin stood up. “Let’s find out. I was on the verge of giving up anyways. Ending the world while actually trying not to sounds better than just ending it out of exhaustion. Isn’t there a prophecy somewhere that says “On the day He who fights gives up, He who’s cute stops him from doing so and They save the world.”

Jisung blushed. “I don’t think I came across that one, no.”

Hyunjin sat down.

“OK, cool. But how do I do it?”

“Apparently until they possess you and you let yourself to the Darkness, your energy gets Bright, or something. Brighter with each year passing after the deadline. But if you were gonna give up today… I don’t think we can afford to wait.”

“Nah, that’s not true. I’ve got a purpose now. I can fight it. I swear. The real question is, are you OK with letting your brother in this state for longer?”

Jisung sighed. “If it means more chance for me to get him back, I am. It will give me time to look for the others, to plan things out. But my brother’s life is at stake and I’ve only known you for an hour or so. So, I’ve got conditions.”

“I’m listening.”

“I’m staying here, to watch over you. To make sure you’re not taking the wrong decision.”

“In my tiny-ass house?”

“In your tiny-ass house.”

“I haven’t talked to anyone in 6 years and I suddenly have to share my house?”

“You know there are bigger issues at hand, like the end of the world?”

Hyunjin sighed. “Welcome home, I guess.”

 

\--

“And… I think that’s it” Jisung said as he put down his last suitcase.

“That’s a lot. I don’t have room for all of this.”

“We’ll find some!”

“It’s still MY house!”

“It’s not even a house.”

“That’s MY cabin!”

Jisung smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll leave you your bed. I’m gonna buy a small couch, that I’m gonna fit...” he looked around him. “Somewhere.”

“I fucking hope so.  MY cabin but not MY bed.”

\--

“How’s your research going?”

“I’m _that_ close to figuring out how this whole Darkness/Brightness thing works.”

“Thanks God.”

“Nah, apparently God has nothing to do with it.”

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. “How long do I have to put up with your jokes. It’s been a month now, I can’t do this anymore.”

“Mate, it’s only been a month. Brightness needs time to get stronger, I think you’re stuck with me now.”

“I guess, at least, I’ve had less headaches since you arrived.”

“I know right, I’m even starting to doubt you’re the right person. Did I make a mistake and you just played along when I arrived ‘cos I was so cute and you wanted to live with me?”

“You’re the one who asked to say!”

Jisung rolled his eyes.

Hyunjin and Jisung knew all that bickering was only fun and game. Hyunjin desperately needed some human contact. It was weird at first, uncomfortable, out of his comfort zone, but Jisung was easy to get along with, and soon the boy felt like they’d always been together. He really couldn’t picture going back to his lonely life. And Jisung found like an older brother in Hyunjin. He wasn’t sure if it was healthy, if he was projecting too much, but he knew that Hyunjin was more than just a stand-in for the brother he had lost. Hyunjin was adorable, dorky and kind, especially for someone who could put an end to this world. At first, Jisung feared what Hyunjin could do, he feared that he’d be too weak. But surprisingly enough, the older boy did not even face difficulties. None of them knew if it was too good to be true.

\--

“Jisung. Help.”

Jisung rushed in the room to see Hyunjin, on his knees, holding his head.

“It... hurts... so much.”

“Oh my God, what can I do?”

“I don’t even know. I’ve always been alone. Just. Help me go upstairs.”

“Wait. We bought a couch, remember? Come with me. There… Yes, hold onto me. You’re doing great.”

“I think it went away.” Hyunjin said, as soon as he sat on the couch.

“Seriously? Man, you worried me. Looks like it was just a tiny headache.”

“I couldn’t stand on my feet!”

“OK. OK. Sorry.”

“No but really, when I held you, I felt this strange wave going through me, and the pain slowly faded away.”

“That’s weird.”

“That thing you said the day you figured out Brightness, what was it?”

“That Brightness had to hold Darkness long enough for it to go away. And that it was stupid that touching my brother would be enough to save him.”

“But what is Brightness?”

“I don’t know.”

“What if it’s you?”

“That’s stupid.”

“Brightness grows in me stronger after the deadline. Years after years, with just the passing of time. The only thing that happened to me since the deadline, it’s you. And I’ve never felt so good. I mean apart from today. And when you touched me, it cured me. A little. I think. Remember when I joked about a prophecy mentioning you? Maybe I was right all along.”

“Those are just pure suppositions.”

“These are prophecies. It’s actually happening, it’s life fate. There’s like no going away from it. That’s why you decided to stay with me, so that Brightness can grow stronger. It was destiny.”

“So, you’re saying that wasn’t even my own will. That Destiny controlled my thoughts or whatever? Great, thanks.

“I’m saying… I think… I really need you.”

“I still believe that’d be too easy. Like can I accelerate the process, like I just did now?”

“I don’t think so. I think, when I’m feeling good, there’s nothing to chase away. I know when it gets worse though. During summer. If you wait long enough, if stay by my side until I’m at my worst, I think you can chase it all away.”

“I wasn’t planning on leaving anyways. I’ll do some more research I can’t base a whole plan off suppositions.”

“It’s all you’ve been doing. Making suppositions out of prophecies. Can’t you believe the one who’s actually involved?”

“According to you, I’m involved too. So, I’ll do some more research. Cos I only trust myself.”

“Maybe that’s your problem.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I’ll leave you to rest, you must be exhausted.”

\--

Jisung couldn’t find anything that proved he wasn’t Brightness. But how come he couldn’t save his brother? _Cos Brightness comes after Deadline. If my brother had waited, just a few hours more._ He sighed. He still had no way to locate the other three. From time to time, he’d leave Hyunjin alone to go to the nearest city, for a better internet connection, and he’d search for any signs, any weird phenomenon… But nothing ever caught his attention.

Summer was approaching and Jisung felt as useless as ever.

\--

“Jisung. Jisung.”

“Yeah.” The younger boy looked up his book. “Oh my God, are you OK?”

“Help me.”

Jisung put his hand on Hyunjin’s shoulder. “I still don’t know what to do! Oh my God, oh my God, are you crying?” With his other hand, he wiped his elder’s tears.

“Just keep what you’re doing, Jisung. It’s upset, I can feel it. I can’t hurt me cos you’re here. I think, today, right now, this is when I give up. I give up but they still can’t take me. That’ll break them.”

“What the FUCK Hyunjin, it’s too risky!”

“Trust me. For once, don’t only trust yourself.”

“I… Fuck, OK, do it. I won’t leave you, I’m right here.”

Hyunjin closed his eyes.

_I’m giving up. Take over. I’m giving up. Take over. I’m giving up. Take over. I’m giving up. Take over._

_I’m giving up. Take over._

He could feel forces fight inside him. Demon forced to answer to his calling. Forced to enter his body because that how the cursed worked, that’s how the prophecies worked. Once, the boy gives up, the demon enters his body. That was his sole mission. That was what was written. He could also feel Jisung’s warmth, positive energy emanated from the younger’s body and made its way to his.

He felt like puking, like he was gonna explode. He couldn’t bear the pain, and at this moment, letting the demon take over didn’t seem that bad of an option.  He felt like getting out of Jisung’s grasp and just giving up. And actually tried to.

“Don’t you fucking dare.” Jisung said, angry, holding the other boy tighter.

Hyunjin screamed for what felt like ten good minutes. And finally stopped. Quiet.

“That’s it.” He said.

“What do you mean?”

“I think. I think it died inside of me.”

“Inside of y-“

The younger boy got cut by Hyunjin spitting out dust.

“Oh wow. OK.”

Hyunjin faintly smiled. “Yeah. Ugh.”

They stared at each other. OK. But what now? Oh God, Hyunjin just wanted a nap.

“Wait. He died. And they’re useless without him. They have to give up, right? They have to leave your brother alone!”

“I don’t even know where he is. He’s probably alone now and confused.” Jisung broke into tears. “How am I even supposed to find him.”

Hyunjin took the younger’s head in his hands and whispered, “We’ll find him Jisung, we will, I swear. We’ll find him. We saved the world; we can save your brother.” And he passed out, exhausted.

Jisung caressed Hyunjin’s cheek, softly. “You worked hard. Rest for a while.” He gently kissed his forehead. “And when my brother’s safe, when he feels better, if he ever does, if he can get over this, please, let me stay with you. I love you.”

 

\- END

**Author's Note:**

> thank u sm for reading !!


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